The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicles and more particularly to a retractable pillar for a convertible vehicle.
It is known to provide soft-top and hard-top convertible roofs for automotive vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,385 entitled “Vehicle Convertible Roof” which issued to Lang on Feb. 24, 2004, and the utility conversion U.S. Ser. No. 11/035,318 filed Jan. 13, 2005, based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/612,384 entitled “In-Folding Convertible Roof” which was invented by Dilluvio and filed on Sep. 23, 2004, disclose soft-top roofs with side rails. U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,386 entitled “Vehicle Retractable Hardtop Roof,” which issued to Willard on Feb. 24, 2004, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,587 entitled “Apparatus for Use in an Automotive Vehicle having a Convertible Roof System,” which issued to Alexander, et al. on Apr. 28, 1998, disclose hard-top roofs with integral side rails. These patents are all incorporated by reference herein.
Weatherstrip sealing between adjacent, movable side windows is often complicated and difficult to achieve in convertible vehicles. This is especially difficult in the limited attempts to provide a four door convertible vehicle. Most four door convertible vehicles are generally considered to lack satisfactory body stiffness and are inadequate to meet the stringent side impact requirements under the new U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (“FMVSS”) 214. One prior attempt to employ a four door movable roof is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,731 entitled “Multi-Purpose Vehicle” which issued to Sangimino on Jan. 17, 1967. This structure discloses manually retractable posts against which can be folded side rail bars used to guide a roll up roof cover. Thus, the need still remains to provide a satisfactory window sealing structure that is easily retracted when a convertible roof is retracted, and without detracting from the structural integrity and stiffness of the vehicle body.
In accordance with the present invention, a retractable pillar is used in a convertible vehicle. In another aspect of the present invention, a pillar is automatically retracted and extended. A further aspect of the present invention rotates at least a portion of the pillar during its movement. Yet another aspect of the present invention moves an upper pillar segment inboard relative to a stationary lower pillar segment. In still other aspects of the present invention, a retractable B-pillar provides weatherstrip sealing to a door-mounted window, and interfaces with a folding convertible roof. Moreover, an additional aspect of the present invention retracts a side pillar toward a roof.
The retractable pillar of the present invention is advantageous over traditional devices. For example, it is envisioned that improved weatherstrip sealing will occur for both front and rear side windows adjacent the pillar. Moreover, the automated movement of the pillar allows for easy and refined use by the vehicle driver based on single button actuation of the convertible roof. Furthermore, the present invention advantageously provides various optimized packaging scenarios to minimize retracted size but without detracting from vehicle body structure and stiffness. The present invention also enhances the aesthetic appearance of a pillar system when the convertible roof is raised and lowered. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.